Animal Tales - Girl Scout project aids homeless animals

Friday

May 28, 2010 at 10:47 AM

Local Girl Scout Megan Ryan, a junior at Ashley High School, is organizing a special event, Paws in the Park, as part of her Gold Award Project. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn.

By Tom Gradyjtgrady@ec.rr.com

Local Girl Scout Megan Ryan, a junior at Ashley High School, is organizing a special event, Paws in the Park, as part of her Gold Award Project. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn.Paws in the Park is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 5 at Wrightsville Beach Park. The event will include a microchip clinic, educational booths, demonstrations, free ice cream and contests with great prizes.Ryan’s letter noted her project goals include increasing public awareness about selecting and caring for pets and “informing the community of the great things the New Hanover Humane Society does, while collecting donations for the agency.”Adoptable pets will be on hand for Paws in the Park along with a Safety/Performance Demonstration by the Azalea Dog Training Club and an obedience demonstration.Admission serves as a donation to the New Hanover Humane Society.But this event isn’t the only aspect of 17-year-old’s overall project to earn the Gold Award. She visited Bellamy Elementary and Anderson Elementary schools recently for presentations to kindergarten and first-grade classes. The students in each class got to split up into groups to make dog and cat toys and bedding for the homeless pets at the Humane Society. “I hope they learned a lot about animals and how to care for them and what you can do,” Ryan said. “Instead of going out and buying toys, you can make stuff at home.“At the (Paws in the Park) event, I just want to educate on pet care and safety.” For more on Paws in the Park and Ryan’s visit to Bellamy, go to Critters.blogs.StarNewsOnline.com. Dog Days DowntownDog Days Downtown is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. today at Riverfront Park in downtown Wilmington. Dogs are invited to bring their humans for a scavenger hunt, featuring fun and prizes. Also on tap will be live music by John Sweeney & the Spurrier Trio. Local rescue organizations will be represented, with some of their adoptable dogs. Netop the painting dog is also scheduled to make a special appearance. There is no cost to attend, but donations will be accepted. Registration for the scavenger hunt is $10 and all proceeds benefit 2 Feet for Paws, a group dedicated to assisting shelters and rescues with fundraising and marketing. The event is presented by Dog Living Magazine and Wilmington Animal Healthcare.

E-mail Tom Grady at jtgrady@ec.rr.com.

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